Cupples, Halferty, Parrott take oaths of office

John Halferty was accompanied by his wife, his 91-year-old father and his 80-year-old father-in-law for his very last oath of office as sheriff of Jasper County.

“I could not do this job without family support,” Halferty said Tuesday, Dec. 22, at the Jasper County Board of Supervisors meeting. “… I am honored and blessed to work in my home county.”

By the time his term ends, Halferty hopes to retire with almost 38 years in law enforcement. Until then, the sheriff does not plan to slack off. He will continue to do his job and be accountable to the people of Jasper County.

The longtime sheriff gave credit to his “great team” of more than 60 employees. Since his tenure as sheriff, Halferty said he has spent about $6 million of the county’s money, which is something he doesn’t take lightly.

Halferty also appreciates the supervisors being pro-law enforcement.

“Which is very important in today’s day and age,” Halferty said. “… I think we — the elected officials — it’s important for us to have a good relationship.”

Jasper County Supervisor Doug Cupples and Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrott took their oaths of office as well.

Parrott complimented his staff — which he referred to as his seven sisters — several times during his speech. Parrott said they are as much the county auditor as he is.

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Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty recites his oath of office Tuesday, Dec. 22, during the Jasper County Board of Supervisors meeting in the courthouse. (Christopher Braunschweig)

Even though his name is on the ballot, his staff makes sure the Jasper County Auditor’s Office adheres to its duties. Everything from elections to the county budget, among others, is covered by the auditors.

“We have a lot of responsibilities, and if anybody here thinks that Dennis Parrott can do those by himself then you belong in an insane asylum,” Parrott said. “I have a wonderful staff. They make this county go.”

Parrott said the county’s current group of elected officials and department heads are coming together now “like we haven’t come together for quite some time.” The county auditor says it’s taken some fits and fights to get there.

“But I’m really proud of this group, too,” Parrott said. “I work closely with the board of supervisors. I have a good board of supervisors. I haven’t always been able to say that through the years, but I have a good board of supervisors.”

Cupples vowed to discharge all the duties of the office of supervisor for Jasper County and said it had been a wild four years with the county. He agreed with Parrott that the county department heads and elected officials feel like family.

“Brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles (and) grandparents — no offense, Denny,” Cupples said to his fellow, senior supervisor Denny Carpenter. “… All of you, I just want to say, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Praise God’ for that.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com